Chapter 2: Past and Present

When Owen woke up again, it was already the afternoon of the second day. The surroundings clearly indicated he was in a hospital room.

Checking the date, Owen realized he had been unconscious for a whole day.

As he tried to get up, Carlos appeared outside the door.

"Great, buddy, you're finally awake. I knew you'd be fine. How are you feeling?" Carlos asked.

"Well... honestly, not great. I ache all over. Did you take advantage of my unconsciousness to beat me up?" Owen joked.

"Haha, judging by your ability to crack jokes, you're really okay." Carlos excitedly gave Owen a punch on the shoulder, making him wince. Carlos then remembered Owen's current condition and apologized.

"How long have I been asleep?" Owen inquired.

"A day and a night, but don't worry. I already called your mother, told her you're on an urgent mission," Carlos reassured.

"Good buddy."

Owen wasn't afraid of injuries or danger, but he worried about his mother and sister. Carlos, being a longtime friend, had already thought about it.

"Hey, buddy, do you know who was in the Cadillac we intercepted? We hit the jackpot."

"Who?" Carlos had piqued Owen's interest. He had passed out during the interception, and everything that happened afterward was a blur.

"Remember the bank robbery? The guy in the car was one of the robbers."

"How is that possible?"

"Haha, I knew you wouldn't believe it. I couldn't believe it either, but it's true. The forensics confirmed that the weapons and ballistics on the Cadillac match those used in the bank robbery. One of the guys died on the spot, and the other is still alive. George's old man interrogated him, and he spilled everything. There were four of them. After a successful heist, they had a falling out during the division of the loot. Some wanted to double-cross, but it didn't work. They managed to escape, and now George's old man is out there catching the rest. So, buddy, we've made a big contribution. Haha!" Carlos explained.

Owen expressed his surprise. Life was indeed unpredictable. Who would have thought that a case they couldn't find any leads on would be solved due to internal strife among the criminals? And he and Carlos inexplicably became heroes.

"You didn't see George's old man boasting in front of the chief. Chief Javier wasn't even angry. He can now brag at the press conference, saying, 'Our West Hollywood branch has been dedicated to improving the security environment in Los Angeles...' Haha!" Carlos painted a vivid picture, and Owen couldn't help but laugh, though he suddenly felt exhausted.

Carlos noticed Owen's fatigue and suggested, "Alright, buddy, you rest a bit more. Don't rush to leave the hospital; the department is covering the expenses. I'll come see you again tomorrow. Also, I observed there are quite a few pretty nurses in this hospital, brother, you better seize the opportunity..."

Carlos left, and Owen lay in bed, unable to sleep no matter how much he tossed and turned. It had nothing to do with the attractive nurses; he had seen several, but none caught his eye.

Thinking about the adrenaline rush he experienced, Owen's muscles became excited. It was a mysterious feeling he had never felt in his previous life.

Owen was a transmigrator, or more precisely, his soul had transmigrated.

The story began thirteen years ago when he woke up one day to find himself in the body of a seven-year-old Caucasian boy named Steve Owen.

In his previous life, Owen had been an ordinary software engineer, earning a moderate salary but living a monotonous life. By the time he reached his thirties, he was still a bachelor, socially isolated, turning himself into a recluse. One day, due to continuous overtime and lack of sleep, he died suddenly and found himself in this new world.

Initially, he thought he could unlock cheat codes, marry a beautiful woman, and live an extraordinary life like other transmigrated protagonists. However, he sadly discovered he had no cheat codes.

No system, no wise old man, no missions, no mutations. Even the world was not the same as the one he knew. Although various aspects like technology, culture, environment, and economy were similar, it was not the identical world.

Parallel universe?

Reluctantly, after numerous attempts, he accepted the fact that he wasn't the protagonist. He lacked the protagonist's halo. When he fell ill, he still had to take medicine; when he was injured, he bled just like everyone else. He was just an ordinary person. The only difference was the additional memories from his previous life.

And so, he grew up normally, attended a third-tier university, and later became a police officer.

Owen understood his situation well. Since he was given a second chance at life, he had to make the most of it. He couldn't repeat the mistakes of his previous life. He wanted to live an exciting and fulfilling life. So, he engaged in physical activities, swimming, and various sports, becoming a sports enthusiast.

That's when he met Carlos, a person who would become significant in his life. Carlos opened a window to a new world for him.

Speaking of Carlos, Owen couldn't help but delve into his work. Initially, he was an ordinary patrol officer, driving around the streets in a patrol car every day.

But fate had other plans for him. He coincidentally got involved in a DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration) operation. There was a shootout between the police and the criminals, and Owen assisted the DEA in capturing the major drug lord, Sonny Stokes.

It was the first time Owen experienced the rush of adrenaline, feeling like he had turned into a superhuman when it was secreted intensely.

Due to this incident, both he and his partner were promoted. While his partner, Carl, chose to remain in the patrol division, Owen opted for a transfer to the Major Crimes Unit.

Carlos became his colleague in the Major Crimes Unit and his partner. Carlos was an extreme sports enthusiast, engaging in activities like street racing, skydiving, parkour, and rock climbing. Owen witnessed the allure of these sports with Carlos, pursuing thrill and excitement.

It was during these activities that Owen discovered his difference from others. Whenever adrenaline surged, his strength, speed, reaction time, and dynamic vision all significantly increased. Movements that seemed almost impossible for others were effortlessly executed by him.

The feeling of being god-like during these moments fascinated him, and gradually, he started to experiment with controlling it, not just satisfying himself with simple stress responses. Yet, achieving this wasn't easy.